Category Archives: Magic Zone

"I want to be kind and protect all of the creatures in the garden! I love creatures!" -- a student who affectionately referred to all insects in the garden as "creatures" and who may, one day, be an entomologist. Fun in the Sun CommunityGrows had a wonderful summer! We enjoyed working with youth from partner programs including the … Continue reading 2018 Recap: Summer in the Gardens→

On Friday May 12, 2017 the afternoon garden program at Ella Hill Hutch got into full swing. Led by CommunityGrows Garden Programs Manager Adrian Almquist, the youth read stories and played some games about fruits and vegetables. Then out to the garden to water and check out how things were growing. Visitors from the Episcopal … Continue reading After School with Ella Hill→

On a rainy Saturday, November 19th, 2016 many organizations in the Western Addition came together to offer Thanksgiving to residents and families. The lunch included a program with youth from Handful Players, the Western Addition Beacon, Booker T. Washington Community Center, Hayward Reconnect, and the Buchanan YMCA, as well as the SGI Chorus. Safeway, Bi-Rite … Continue reading Thanksgiving at John Muir Elementary→

On Friday afternoon May 13, 2016 from 4-6 PM students and CommunityGrows partners came out for a great BBQ in Koshland Garden. Teachers from John Muir Elementary School joined parents from Rosa Parks Elementary School, along with Magic Zone and Western Addition Beacon kids for hot dogs, salads, chips, watermelon and cookies to celebrate the … Continue reading End of School BBQ→

On a rainy Saturday, January 9, 2016, CommunityGrows joined Buchanan Mall partners, Green Streets, Citizen Film and Mo’Magic to clean, green, serve and beautify San Francisco. Many volunteers throughout the City came to Ella Hill Hutch at 9:00 AM, donned yellow rain gear, and helped plant a tree in the front of Ella Hill Hutch … Continue reading Buchanan Mall-Mayor’s Day of Service→

On Saturday afternoon, December 12, 2015 CommunityGrows hosted our 13th annual Wreath and Card Making event. Held at the Hayes Valley South Community Room, it attracted many residents, families and youth from the community. The BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employable Teens) helped out getting everyone started with frames, boughs, and trinkets. There was … Continue reading Wreath and Card Making Fun→

On Wednesday, March 11, 2015 our after-school youth from MagicZone came to Koshland Park for a lesson in decomposers. A decomposer is part of the food chain. When something dies, like a plant or an animal, a decomposer breaks down dead plants and animals. Decomposers turn dead material into good fertilized soil. Worms are decomposers. … Continue reading MagicZone and Decomposers!→

On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 Magic Zone youth joined us for their weekly afternoon class in Koshland Garden. After settling in our garden circle and doing a short quiet meditation, Janine Gee, one of our long standing volunteers at CommunityGrows read a story entitled Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell. Angie Lemus, … Continue reading Magic Zone in Koshland Garden→

On Wednesday, November 13, 2013 the afterschool Magic Zone youth came to Koshland Garden with Chaniel Williams, Program Lead for K-2 and Maurice Scott, Program Assistant, to make pine-cone bird feeders. Adrian Almquist, CommunityGrows Garden Educator lead the class, with assistance by volunteer, Janine Gee. They were also joined by another potential volunteer, Derek Richardson, … Continue reading Feeding the Birds→

The Magic Zone kids (from our partner Mo’Magic’s summer program) came to get a lesson offered by CommunityGrows in bug identification on Monday, July 22, 2013 in Koshland Garden. They started out by listing all the bugs they’ve seen in Koshland Garden—those that fly, those that crawl and those that wiggle. Then the fun began. … Continue reading Oh! What Big Eyes You Have!→